We’ve told you before it’s a good idea to treat your savings like a bill. You can do this with a 401(k) by automatically saving a portion of your paycheck on payday. And if you have the option of automatically contributing a dollar amount or a percentage, go with a percentage.

Over at GOBankingRates, Charlie Shipman of Blue Keel Financial Planning recommends automatically saving a percentage of your paycheck, rather than a dollar amount, to your 401(k). This way, when you get a raise, your retirement contribution automatically increases.

It’s a simple tip, but a useful one. It’s all too easy to spend your raise on things you don’t need at the expense of your savings goals, which is lifestyle inflation in a nutshell. With percentage-based savings, your lifestyle inflates proportionally to your retirement savings.

They offer more savings tips in the full post, so be sure to check it out at the link below.